Article-attaching machine



April 23, i935. VQLLMAN ARTICLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet .1 I I l Wikwo:

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A ril 23, 1935. J. VOLLMAN 1,999,145

ARTICLE ATTACHING MACHINE WNW WW April- 23, 1935. J. VOLLMAN I ARTICLEATTACHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 5, 1935 3mm (Zman WifweorApril 23, 1935. J. VOLLMAN 1,999,145

ARTICLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Wwwe aa=Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ABTICLE-ATTACHINGmoms Joseph Vollman, Elizabeth, N. 1., assignor to The SingerManufacturing Company, Elizabeth N. L, a corporation of New Jersey Thisinvention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to that type01' machine used for attaching articles to material.

In carrying out the invention, I preferably 5' make use of a sewingmachine such as that disposition to receive the stitches formed by thesewing instrumentalities. In the present instance, however, thework-holder, stitch-forming mechanism, and thread-cutting and nippingmechanism, have been modified in certain important particulars and athread-positioning element has been added. Other modifications,improvements, and additions will hereinafter appear as the descriptionproceeds.

The features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby willbe readily understood by those skilled in the art from the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a rear side elevation of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, taken substantially alongthe line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the forward end the machine.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged elevations showing the various positionsof the needlethread positioning and holding member.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are bottom plan views and Figure 10 is a perspectiveview, of the threadnipping and severing elements showing the position ofthe parts at diiferent points in the series of stitch-forming cycles.

Figures 11, 13, '15 and 16 are detail views of parts of thebutton-clamp.

- Figure 12 is an enlarged rear elevation of the button-clamp. V

Figure 14 is a perspective view or the needlethread positioning element;

The machine is constructed with the usual base i from which rises thehollow standard 2 ioumaled. Two needles, C and I are carried by thereciprocating needle-bar 5 and cooperate with a single loop-taker tcarrying a thread-case 9 and mounted to operate in a raceway closed bythe gib ll securejd to itthe overhanging tubular arm II. The loop-takerll derives its operative movements from a driver 12 connected in theusual manner with the main driving shalt II. The main-shaft carries atits rearward end the tight and loose pulleys l5 and I6, respectively, tothe former of which is secured the usual stopping cam l'! with which theupper end I! of the stopmotion lever l9 cooperates in a well knownmanner to stop the machine. As shown in dotted lines in-Figure 1, themain-shaft I4 is provided with a worm-gear meshing with the worm-wheel2| secured upon the transverse shaft 22 upon which is fixed thecontroller-cam wheel 23 formed on its rear face with the usualthread-cutter controlling cam-groove 24 and on its front face with the'usual article-clamp jogging cam-groove 25.

The plate 28 of the work-holder is provided at its forward end with awork-supporting plate 26' and rigidly attached to its rear end is a pinor post 21 having an adjustable connection 21' with the lever 28 whichis provided at its upper end with a roller-stud 29 entering thearticle-clamp jogging cam-groove 25,01 the cam-wheel 23. Secured byscrews 30 to the plate 26 of the work holder so as to move therewith isan arched member 3| carrying at its free end an article-clampindicatedgenerally as 32.

As illustrated in Figures 1-3, 11-13, inclusive and 15 and 16, thearticle-clamp comprises a plate 33 slidably held in position on the head35 of the arched member 3| by the L-shaped guide-members 36 which arefixed to the head 35 by the screws 31. The sliding plate 33 isconstantly tloning member 44 having a inwardly extending portion 45 atits lower end. Slidably fixed by the screws 48 and 41 intermediate thebutton clamp arms 41 is a sliding arm 48 having plates 49 and Ill fixedthereto, the plates being provided with cam-slots Bl which receive thestuds 52 on the button clamp-arms 4| and cam-slots 53' which receive thestud 54 on the button-positioning arm 44. The arm 48 and plates 49 andare constantiy urged downwardly by a coiled spring BI strained betweenthe screw 48 and the stud I. carried by the plate 33. It will be obviousthat the spring I5 tends to force the arm 48 and plates I! and S0 totheir lowest position thereby yieldingly urging the c amp-arms 40towards each ferent sizes 01' buttonsyl-have provided a lever 51 '(Figs.2 and 16') mana e the under side of the screw 46 to move it"ii'iitvardlythe slot It.

55 other and thghutton-positionmg arm 44 inwardly. Inorder to adjusttliebutton-clamp for The lever is formed with a slot 51 and is pivotedto the plate 33 by a pivot-screw 58. A thumbscrew 59 is provided forholding the lever 51 in its adjusted position.

The thread-cutting mechanism which is shown in detail in Figures 7, 8, 9and 10 assumes three positions during the button-sewing cycle. At thebeginning of the cycle the elements of the threadcutting and nippingmechanism are in the position shown in Figures 7 and 10. In thisposition the end of the lower thread is held or nipped between theelement 6| and the lower face of the throatplate 80, the needles andupper threads being in the position shown in Figure 6. During the firststitch-forming cycle after the needles have descended and as the needlesare nearing the end 01' their upstroke, the parts of the thread-cuttingand nipping mechanism are moved to the position shown in Figure 8 bymechanism substantially the same as that disclosed in the said Hortonand Sullivan patents. In the present instance this mechanism comprisesan arm 62 pivoted at 83 and actuated by the thread-cutter controllingcam-groove 24 formed in the rear face of the controller-cam 23. The arm62 engages a slide-bar GI provided with the usual rack 65 which mesheswith the sector gear 66 on the thread-cutting and nipping mechanism.During the movement of thegparts from the position shown in Figure 7 tothe position shown in Figure 8 the needle-threads, which have beenpassed through the needle-aperture 61 in the throatplate and drawn outby the loop-taker, are seized by the hook 68 of the nipping element 69and are drawn against the cutting-blade 18. The loose ends of theneedle-threads are severed by the combined action of the element 69 andthe blade I0 and the ends of the needle-threads are held nipped betweenthe hooked end 68 of the element 68 and the lower face of thethroat-plate 60.

At the end of the third stitch-forming cycle the parts of thethread-cutting and nipping mechanism are moved to the position shown inFigure 9. This movement releases the ends of needle-thread and permitsthem to be sewed under or enclosed by stitches formed by subsequentoperations of the stitch-forming mechanism.

After a predetermined number of stitch-forming cycles have beencompleted the parts of the thread-cutting and nipping mechanism returnto the position shown in Figure 7. In returning to this position. theelement H engages and draws aside-and pulls out a length ofbobbin-thread to insure the proper lead and the nipping element 6|engages and holds this thread nipped. Upon further movement of theparts. which occurs towards the end of the last stitch-forming cycle,the element 13 engages the needle-threads and draws out extra lengths ofneedle-thread. At this point in the button-sewing cycle the well knownstopmotion mechanism. such as that disclosed in the said Horton andSullivan patents is tripped in the usual and well known manner to stopthe machine. The overthrow from the momentum of the moving parts causesthe stop-motion mechanism through the lever 19, bell-crank lever 12, andslide -rod 64 to impart to the cutting elements II and 13a quickmovement to their extreme positions to cause the sharpened edge 14 onthe cutting element 13 to sever the needle-threads and the dependingknife-like edge 15 on the element II to sever the lower orbobbin-thread, the parts 01' the thread-cutting and nipping mechanismthen return to the position shown in Figures 7 and all of which is oldand well known and fully described in the above mentioned patents.

To remove the work after the stitchingoperation, the free end of thepivoted lever I1 is depressed or drawn down by a treadle (not shown).The movement of the lever 11 about its pivot I8 lifts the usualspring-pressed presser-bar I! upwardly, and the free end of the L-shapedmember 88, which is fixed to the presser-bar, engages the thumb-screw 59fixed to the sliding plate 33 and forces the plate 33 carrying thebutton-clamp arm ll upwardly against the action 01' the springs 38.

In order to position the needle-threads above the work and hold them atone side of the needles for the beginning of the article-attachingoperation, I have provided a needle-thread positioning device or holderwhich is actuated when the presser-bar 19 is raised. The thread-holdingdevice comprises an arm 8| formed with an inclined U- shaped lowerportion 82, the free end 01' which terminates in a short spiral 83 whichforms an open thread-receiving loop (Figure 14) The holder is carried bya swinging arm 84 pivoted at 85 to a member 86 fixed to the head of themachine. The arm 84 is provided with a slot 81 which receives a pin 88fixed on the free end 88' of the L-shaped member 80. From the above itwill be obvious that when the presser-bar I9 is raised the pin 88 willcause the arm 84 to swing about its pivot 85. The thread-holder isnormally in the position shown in Figure 2 and when the presserbar israised the holder 8| moves forward to the position shown in Figure 4 atwhich point the inclined limb 82 of the holder engages the needlethreadsand upon further upward movement of the presser-bar the holder moves tothe position shown in Figure 5. During this movement the needle-threadsslide down the inclined limb 82 into the thread-holding spiral 83 andwhen the presser-bar is lowered the holder 8i swings back to itsoriginal position, as shown in Figure 6, the needle-threads beingretained in the spiral 83, whereby they are held out of the path of theneedles, which prevents the needles from piercing the thread during thefirst stitch-forming cycle.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and severaladvantages of my improved article-attaching machine will be clearly andfully understood. It is apparent that such a device has a wide varietyof uses, and it will be understood that the form, construction andarrangement of the several elements employed may be varied. Therefore,the privilege is reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changestherein as may be fairlyv embodied within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

Having. thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:

1. In an article-attaching sewing machine adapted to perform a definiteseries of operations, in combination, a reciprocating needle-bar, a pairof thread-carrying needles secured to said needlebar, a throat-plate, asingle thread-carrying looptaker operating below said throat-plate andcooperating with said needles in theformation o1 lock-stitches, abutton-holder, means for vibrating said button-holder laterally of aplane containing said needles, a stop-motion device, and thread-cuttingand nipping mechanism below said throat-plate, said thread-cutting andnipping. mechanism including means for nipping and cutting the beginningends of both needle-threads tion of the series of operations forconcomitantly severing both needle-threads. I

2. In a button sewing machine adapted to perform a definite series 01operations, in combination, a reciprocatory needle-bar, a pair oi.needles fixed to said needle-bar each needle carrying a sewing thread, asingle thread-carrying looptaker cooperating with said needles in theformation of stitches, means for holding a button and supporting thework in position to stitch the button to the work, means for vibratingsaid last named means and the needles relative to each other, astop-motion device, and thread-holding and cutting means including anipper for simultaneously engaging and holding the free ends of bothneedle-threads at the beginning of the series of operations andautomatic means controlled by the machine for simultaneously severingboth needle-threads at the end of the series of operations,

3. In an article sewing machine adapted to perform a definite series ofstitchforming cycles, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism having aplurality of thread-carrying needles spaced apart to simultaneouslyregister with certain of the holes of an article to be attached, athroatplate, a single thread-carrying loop-taker located below saidthroat-plate and cooperating with said needles to form lock-stitches, anarticle clamp, means for relatively moving the needles and article clampto cause each needle to register with another hole in the article, andmeans located above said throat-plate for holding the beginning ends ofthe needle-threads out of the path of the needles at the beginning ofthe series of stitch-forming cycles;

4. In a sewing machine for sewing articles having sets ofthread-receiving openings, sewing instrumentalities including a pair ofneedles each having a sewing thread, a loop-taker carrying a lowerthread-mass coordinated with said needles, an article-holder, means formoving said needles and article-holder relative to each other so thatthe needles alternate between the sets of threadreceiving openings,means for simultaneously article-clamp to cause each needle to registerwith another hole in the article, means for raising and lowering saidarticle-clamp, means under control of said raising means for engagingand holding the needle-threads out of the path 01' the needles,thread-cutting and nipping mechanism located below said throat-plate,said thread-cutting and nipping'mechanismincludlng means for engagingand trimming the beginning end of the, needle-threads, and means forholding the beginning ends of the needle-threads nipped for apredetermined number of stitch-forming cycles.

6. In an article-attaching machine adapted to perform a definite seriesof stitch forming cycles, in combination, stitch-forming mechanismhaving a pair of thread-carrying needles spaced apart to simultaneouslyregister with certain holes of an article to be attached, athroat-plate, a single thread-carrying loop-taker located below saidthroat-plate and cooperating with said needles to form lock-stitches, anarticle-clamp, means for relatively moving the needles and article-clampto cause each needle to register with another hole in the article, meansfor raising and lowering said article-clamp, means under control of saidraising means for engaging and holding the needlethreads out of the pathof the needles prior to the first stitch-forming cycle, andthread-cutting and nipping mechanism located below said throat-plate,said thread-cutting and nipping mechanism including means forconcomitantly seizing and trimming both needle-threads at the beginningof the cycle of operations, and means for concomitantly cutting bothneedle-threads at the completion of the cycle 01 operations.

7. An article-attaching machine adapted to perform adefinite series ofoperations having in combination, a reciprocatory needle, a throatplate,a loop-taker operating below said throatplate and cooperating with theneedle to form stitches, and a work-holder comprising an archedcombination, a reciprocatory needle-bar, a pair of needles fixed to saidneedle-bar, each needle carrying a sewing thread, a presser-bar, andmeans operable when the presser-bar is raised and lowered for engagingand holding both needle-threads out of the path of the needles at thebeginning of the series of stitch-forming operations.

9. An article-attaching machine adapted to perform a definite series ofoperations having, in combination, a reciprocatory needle-bar, a pair ofneedles fixed to said needle-bar, each needle carrying a sewing thread,an article-clamp, means for raising and lowering said article-clamp andmeans including a swinging arm terminating in a spiral for engaging andholding both needlethreads out of the path of the needles at thebeginning of the series of stitch-forming operations, said last namedmeans being under control of the means for raising and lowering thearticleclamp.

10. An article-attaching machine adapted to perform a definite series ofoperations having, in

combination, a reciprocatory needle-bar, a pair of needles fixed to saidneedle-bar, each needle carrying a sewing thread, a presser-bar, andmeans operable when the presser-ba-r is raised and lowered for engagingand holding both needle-threads out of the path of the needles at thebeginning of the series of stitch-forming operations, said last namedmeans comprising an arm pivoted to the headoi the machine and anelement. having an inclined U-shaped lower portion, thefre'e fend ofwhich terminates in a short spiral. Y JOSEPH VOLLMAN.

